So I want something to read & clear codes on my A4 1.8TQ, and I know that Ross-tech VAG-COM is sort of the accepted solution, but given that I have a desire for a tune anyway, is there a good reason not to spend the $80 or so more for stage 1 from Motoza instead? ($250+shipping for VAG-COM vs $350 including shipping for Motoza stage 1).

Motoza's site seems to indicate that their software does just about everything VAG-COM does, at least in terms of reading and clearing codes, and of course you get the stage 1 tune out of it.

Is there something crucial that VAG-COM does that I'd be losing out on by going with Motoza instead?

In the mean time, is there anyone in the Twin Cities, MN area with a VAG-COM who'd be willing to read & clear the airbag fault code I currently have going? (The airbag light is on and intermittently blinks off for a few seconds at a time, and Autozone couldn't read the code for it with their generic reader.) I'd be more than happy to provide some of whatever your favorite beer is in exchange for your services...

 

For anybody who's curious, I posted a similar question over on AZ and got a bit more in the way of replies, including one from the guy who runs Motoza:

Convince me not to buy a Motoza tune

The upshot is that Motoza's software doesn't currently replicate all of VAG-COM's functionality (not that I expected it to, of course), but it does do code reading and clearing, and is apparently significantly better for data logging.